Is there such a thing as too many books?
Not according to Lara Veerkamp, proprietor of Iola’s new bookstore located in the old Sophisticated Rose building, which is currently celebrating its “soft” grand opening.
Called “Four M’s and a Silent Q,” the store features tons of discounted books in both paperback and hardback, along with puzzles, knitting and eventually a store dog.
(If you’re curious, the store’s name refers to a humorous Monty Python sketch that takes place in a bookstore. The word itself is spelled “mmmmarlesq” and is pronounced “marles.”)
The short-term goal for the business involves simply selling as many books as possible in order to buy more books, building up the collection, until the shelves are eventually bursting.
As Veerkamp put it, “we have many different things for people to come in and discover.”
Originally from Archie, Mo., Veerkamp recently retired from teaching math and science, a career she’s been involved in for the past 29 years.
She now splits her time between Archie and Iola, and especially enjoys going on adventures with her partner Mike Marsh, who is an economics and business instructor at Allen Community College.
(Last year the duo ran a half marathon in Iceland on the summer solstice at midnight.)
Both Veerkamp and Marsh point to being from small towns — and looking for a means to “escape” and “explore” — as feeding their love of books.
And although Veerkamp may be retired, she’s still a teacher at heart, and plans to tutor students in math and other subjects at the store.
“Things just came together at the right time,” explained Veerkamp regarding the store’s genesis. Her recent retirement coupled with the store building coming open for rent was just too good an opportunity to pass up.
“I did imagine, dream that I would work part time in a bookstore in my retirement,” she added, so it only made sense when the chance came to run one herself.
Veerkamp said she doesn’t consider herself a “business person,” but since running the bookstore was more about offering residents a kind of service — rather than trying to make a profit — she decided to go ahead and try.
Veerkamp not only delights in buying and reading books, but helping others to procure them at affordable prices.
She described the task as one of making books be “priced accessibly,” since again, the goal is more about providing a service rather than making money.
“I’d like to share the love,” she said, especially when it involves helping people to “buy $18 in books for $3.”
